New Metallica!

[BwareDWare94 723]

 

New album Hardwired...To Self Destruct comes out November 18th. Two discs, nearly 80 minutes of music.

 

[Vin+ 3,121]

Terrible title, but that single is solid. Lyrics don't do much for me, but James sounds pretty good and the instrumentation is on point, which is what makes Metallica Metallica.

[BwareDWare94 723]

Yeah, I'm excited to hear more aggression from them, especially considering the troubled times of today. The only issue I can see with this song is Lars will struggle to play it live.

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

[Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014]

Why can't they just die?

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Sounds like it could have been on Death Magnetic, so not bad.

[Bay 2,003]

Good enough. Still if I'm in the mood for 'tallica I'll listen to anything from '91 and prior. That's it.

[Vin+ 3,121]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tdKl-gTpZg

 

I like Hardwired better.

[Turry 755]

Metallica should of quit making metal at the black album.

[Vin+ 3,121]

Alright, so I got the new album. Probably post something later after I've given it a couple listens, but my first thought is that James sounds good, which was my biggest fear going into this album. Not sure it's at Black album level, but it's probably Load level.

 

[Vin+ 3,121]

So I think I've given it enough listens to get a feel for the songs. Solid album overall. Feels kinda like a heavier version of Load mixed with Death Magnetic. Not really thrash-y, but not hard rock either. Somewhere in the middle of the two. You can tell there's hints of expanding from how Metallica typically does things (Intro to Now That We're Dead, riff before the chorus in Am I Savage etc.) but mostly things are your typical Metallica fare, which depending on your feelings could be either a good or bad thing. I think this is the first album that Lars' playing has gotten to me, and this is coming from someone who likes his playing/sound on St. Anger. There are a lot of similar fills, and maybe it's just a production issue, but the drum sound is pretty obnoxious for the most part. Robert Trujillo seems largely absent from the album too, which, again. is probably a production issue, which is a shame.

 

Song rankings:

 

1. Am I Savage? - Contains the best riff in the whole album at 4:10, and is pretty interesting musically (at least by 'Tallica standards)

2. Spit Out The Bone - Another one that's pretty interesting musically

3. Hardwired - Aw yeah thrash.

4. Halo on Fire - Closest thing, which isn't very close, to a ballad on the album

5. Now That We're Dead - Best intro. Chorus elevates the song.

6. Confusion - Love the verse delivery

7. Dream No More - Less heavy Thing That Should Not Be

8. ManUNkind - Groovy

9. Moth Into Flame - There's something about this song that bothers me, and I can't put my finger on it. Chorus is good though.

10. Here Comes Revenge - Sounds like Thorn Within. Eh.

11. Atlas, Rise - I think I irrationally dislike this one because it reminds me of Broken, Beat, and Scarred, which I hated from Death Magnetic. Chorus is good though.

12. Murder One - There's a hint of Sanitarium in the opening. Probably the best thing about the song.

 

 

I think the biggest flaw with the album is that while nearly every song has good pieces, most of the songs have too many peaks and valleys to reach greatness. Still a solid album, though.

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

Maiden>>>Metallica